Yes. I suppose we do. I do think though that there are times when people without dependants also need time away from work. There are other commitments. I applied for a job for 10 hours a week on top of my course. I ended up working 30 plus per week due to other peoples commitments and had to give up my job as I couldn't maintain it with other commitments in my life. The reason I was working that many hours and being rung to go in at a minutes notice was due to others claiming to have issues around child care. I know that many of those issues weren't genuine.
It's a shame that there are some people (both with and without dependants) that take advantage of situations to get the rest of us a bad name. I must admit,over christmas, I'd have liked to have time to see my family too. Not be out at 10-00 for an 11-00 opening then in at 4 and out again at 5 to be ready for evening opening. One of the girls I worked with whose father had cancer missed the last christmas with him and we were told it was so people could spend christmas with their kids. Its a balancing act. We all have priorities. Pub work is a nightmare to manage I guess.
